Tourniquet clamp



1951 o. L.. ENGSTROM 2,577,

TOURNIQUET CLAMP Filed June 18. 1949 IN VEN TOR.

0.56/41? .4. E/VGSTROM Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED S ATES PATENT "OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to surgical instruments, and more particularly to a tourniquet clamp or hemostatic ligators of the type having a pair of clamping members which are pivoted together in a scissors arrangement, and which are provided with a ratchet device for holding said members in any desired adjusted position.

One object of this invention is to provide a tourniquet clamp of the above nature in which the ratchet device is disposed closely adjacent the pivot so as to avoid obstructing the use of the clamp.

Another object is to provide a tourniquet clamp of the above nature wherein the ratchet device is secured to one clamping member by means which is so arranged as to avoid weakening the clamping members.

Another object is to provide a tourniquet clamp of the above nature in which the ratchet device will be effective throughout a wide range of movement of the clamping members.

A further object is to provide a tourniquet clamp of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture,

easy to use and manipulate, compact, ornamental ing one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved tourniquet clamp.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the clamp, shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamp.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerais denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals I and II indicate a pair of elongated clamping members which are pivotally secured together in a scissors arrangement by means of a screw I2, and which comprises handle portions I3, I4 and curved jaw portions I5, I6 respectively.

It will be understood that the jaw portions I5, I6 are disposed in slightly offset relationship so that they may overlap and thus be brought close together for clamping small objects.

The clamping members It, I! have intermediate crossing portions I'I, i8 which are of a reduced thickness so as to embrace the sides of a flat steel ratchet sector I9, located in the crossing portion ll of themember Ill and preferably formed integral therewith.

The sector I9 is provided with a series of ratchet teeth 20 disposed concentrically with respect to the pivot screw I2 and are adapted to be engaged by a nose 2! of a detent lever 22.

The detent lever 22 is pivotally mounted upon a lug 23 integrally formed on the outer side of the handle portion I4 adjacent the sector I9, and is engaged by a leaf spring 24 which urges the nose 2i into engagement with the ratchet teeth 20. The spring 24 is attached to the handle portion I4 of the member II by any suitable means, such as a rivet 25.

In order to impart an automatic opening movement to the clamping members I0, I I when the detent lever 22 is disengaged from the sector it, provision is made of an elongated leaf spring 25 which is attached to the inner surface of the handle portion I3 by means of a rivet 21, and which bears against the inner surface of the handle portion I4 in the region of the lug 23.

Operation In use, the curved jaw portions I5, I6 will first be disposed so as to embrace the object to be clamped and the handle portions I3, I4, will then be pressed toward each other, this operation simultaneously causing the jaw portions I 5, I6 to engage the object, and causing the nose 2| of the lever 22 to ride in a clockwise direction over the ratchet teeth 20, as viewed in the drawing. The handle portions I3, I4 will then be released by the operator, whereupon the leaf spring 24 will maintain the nose 2| in engagement with the teeth 20, thereby preventing separating movement of the jaw portions I5, I6.

When it is desired to release the clamping members III, !I, it will merely be necessary to press the detent lever 22, thus disengaging the nose 2| from the teeth 25, and permitting the jaw portions I5, I6 to separate.

This separating movement will, of course, be facilitated by the action of the elongated leaf spring 26, which will cause the clamp to open automatically and permit it to be removed with a minimum of interference with the object clamped, and without requiring the operator to exert any positive opening force upon the jaws. This feature will also be of assistance in applying the clamp upon the object since a mere pressure of the thumb upon the detent lever-22 will result in separation of the jaw portions I5, I6.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration-only, and

3 that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short the invention includes all modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In a tourniquet clamp, a pair of clamping members pivoted together in crossing relationship, a toothed ratchet sector on one of said members and embracing the pivot, a detent lever mounted upon the other of said members and adapted to engage said sector, and a'spring urging said detent lever into engagement with said sector.

OSCAR L. ENGSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,426,553 Cruickshank Aug. 22, 1922 1,957,992 Cohen May 8, 1934 10 2,427,128 Ettinger Sept. 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 568,905 France Jan. 2, 1924 

